PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jack Spat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Sokolov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Spat
vs
Sokolov

200 cm
29
211 lbs
9 - 15 - 0

188 cm
22
210 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 15 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jack Spat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergei Sokolov!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Spat shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sokolov's guard.
Spat controls from within his opponent's guard.
Spat will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jack Spat just wasn't active enough.
Sokolov missing with a left hand there. Spat was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sokolov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Spat.
Nice sprawl there from Sokolov as Spat shoots in.

Spat dives in and scores a takedown into Sokolov's guard.
Spat tries to stand but Sokolov is controlling from the bottom.
Spat wants to pass the guard but Sokolov is keeping the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Spat accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spat throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Spat wants to control from the top but Sokolov keeps moving.
Spat looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Spat trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Spat seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Jack Spat has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Sokolov's jab looks to have found its range, popping Spat under the eye.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Spat looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Spat shoots in for a double leg but Sokolov sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sokolov missing with a left hand there. Spat was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sokolov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Spat ducks under a wild hook from Sokolov.
Spat takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sokolov throws a looping overhand right but Spat ducks down to avoid it.
Spat closes the distance and clinches up with Sokolov, looking for a takedown. Spat pushes Sokolov against the cage but Sokolov circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Spat. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sokolov misses with a hook to the body
and Spat counters with a straight right hand.
Spat fails with a takedown attempt.
Sokolov cracks Spat with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Spat takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Spat dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sokolov keeps the fight on the outside.
Spat on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Sokolov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Spat needs to keep his hands up - Sokolov had a free shot at his head there.
Sokolov throws a hook to the side of Spat's head but Spat sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Sokolov might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
A thudding body kick lands there by Spat!
A big left from Sokolov misses.
A punch lands to the side of Spat 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Sokolov misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Spat closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sokolov quickly recovers to half guard.
Sokolov looks like he's trying to stand up.
Spat is trying to control. Sokolov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sokolov is trying to control but can't.
Spat stops Sokolov from getting back to his feet.
Spat controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jack Spat.
Spat looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sokolov is fending him off so far but Spat persists. Nope, Sokolov circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spat slips under a jab from Sokolov.
Sokolov misses with a looping left.
Spat shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sokolov sprawls well. Sokolov wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Spat gets slowly back to his feet.
Sokolov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Spat is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sergei Sokolov seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spat fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Spat. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sokolov feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Spats jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Sokolov throws the left hand but Spat avoids the punch easily.
Spat dodges the punch combination from Sokolov.
Jack Spat is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Spat looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Sokolov is fending him off so far but Spat persists. Nope, Sokolov circles away and we're back to standing.

Spat throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Sokolov tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Spat is in Sokolov's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spat wants to pass the guard but Sokolov is keeping the position.
Spat stays in close to Sokolov's body and controls the position.
Spat pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sokolov is keeping the position for now.
Spat postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Spat's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jack Spat.
Spat shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sokolov as he jumps to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jack Spat will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Sokolov misses with a few strikes there.
Spat fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sokolov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sokolov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Spat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big left from Sokolov misses.
Sokolov jabs Spat to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Sokolov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spat slips a straight right by Sokolov.
Sokolov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Spat misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Spat shoots in and gets a takedown into Sokolov's guard.
Sokolov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Spat slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spat trying to control the position from guard on top but Sokolov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jack Spat.
Spat looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Sokolov misses with an uppercut

and Spat counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Spat.
Spat is trying to break the clinch but Sokolov has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spat wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sokolov wants to break free but Spat has control.

Spat manages to break the clinch.
Jack Spat is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Spat takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Sokolov lunges at Spat with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Spat's hand.
Sokolov throws the left hand but Spat avoids the punch easily.
Sergei Sokolov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Spat shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Spat. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice body punch from Sokolov.
Spat fails with the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sokolov falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Spat to counter with a crisp jab.
Sokolov lands with an overhand left.
Some wild striking there from Sokolov.
Sergei Sokolov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sokolov misses with a double jab.
Spat tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Sokolov swivels and escapes.
Sokolov throws a jab when Spat was well out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sergei Sokolov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Spat has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Sergei Sokolov!